Aussie Icons

I went to Lush at lunchtime to pick up a present for one of the girl's I work with and afterwards went for a walk where I passed the Hi Fi bar. There was a sign out the front stating that Deborah Conway and her partner in music and life were downstairs playing for a session the call 'Liquid Lunch'. So I made my descent down those slippery stairs where a room of people with drink in hand were watching them make sweet music. Deborah Conway is someone I deeply admire, even though I haven't bought any of her music. I remember going to see an international act in the '80's and Do Re Mi supported them. Deborah's voice was strong and melodic- the song 'Man Overboard'was in the charts (we all oohed over the lyrics about your pubic hairs upon my pillow). Deborah is an original and has always done things her way and has succeeded in a world of political correctness where bold,brash women generally get crucified for daring to be themselves. The fact that she's a gorgeous,sexy woman who makes me want to jump the proverbial fence doesn't hurt either! Deborah, I salute thee. Another Aussie who makes me go sappy and weepy is Paul Kelly. I love how someone so ordinary looking just picks up his guitar,plays a simple tune and writes songs that are more like stories that take you somewhere. I bought a friend of mine his book of lyrics which she says she reads in bed at night like a Baptist reads a bible. I bought the album 'Gossip' back in 1986 when the song 'Before Too Long' came out and I used to read the lyrics on the album sleeves. Gossip is my favourite Paul Kelly album. From the anthemic 'Leaps and Bounds' to the hauntingly beautiful 'Somebody's Forgetting Somebody' (Somebody's letting somebody down). I love the line in 'Before The Old Man Died' where he states ' I fell in love with whispers and turned them into songs." My favourite is 'Randwick Bells' (Randwick Bells are ringing/Must be Saturday/I woke up in the middle of the day/Must be Saturday/So put a blanket on the window/And come on back to bed/We've got no place to go,no place to be/So come on back to bed.... Bliss.